Results of investigation in certain industries.

Date:
1924
Catalogue details

Licence: Public Domain Mark

Credit: Results of investigation in certain industries. Source: Wellcome Collection.

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    3. Rolling Mills —The fatigue of the work of the steel melters can be greatly diminished, and the efficiency in the running of the rolling mills can be increased by reducing the intermittency with which the furnaces are tapped. In certain works, some reduction is already effected by charging half the furnaces on Saturday morning and the other half on Sunday night, but a more marked result would probably be obtained if it could be arranged that the men start work at different times on Sunday [5, 47, 58]. The Report points out that rolling mill delays are due partly to lack of steam pressure. It is desirable to investigate the causes of low pressure, and by taking hourly records of low pressure to find out how far it is dependent on fatigue in the men, with a consequent reduction in the efficiency of stoking, or on other factors [5, 72). 4. Ivon Founding —The methods adopted in an iron foundry with the full concurrence of the workers, the introduction of which greatly increased output, are described [3]. (c) ADMINISTRATIVE. 1. Records—Two kinds of records which would yield vali information have been suggested :— (i) Output should be tabulated and compared month by ~ month. Any substantial reduction during the summer months, as compared with the winter months, will indicate that the conditions of production induce undue fatigue in the men in hot weather. It will probably often be found that the shops and sheds are too much shut in and that ventilation is inadequate. Hence, systematic observations ought to be made on the atmospheric conditions (temperature and air currents) of the shops in various works, both good and bad. (ii) Lost time records should be kept regularly, and the amount of time (a) unavoidably lost from sickness, and (b) avoidably lost, separately distinguished. If the men were grouped according to their occupation, and the lost time of each group calculated separately, valuable information might be obtained as to the causes of lost time, and the means of avoiding it. REPORTS: No. 1.—The Influence of Hours of Work and of Ventilation on Output in Tinplate Manufacture, by H. M. Vernon, M.D. Price 6d. net. No. 2.—The Output of Women Workers in relation to Hours of Work in Shell-making, by Ethel E. Osborne, M.Sc. Price 6d. net. No. 3.—A Study of Improved Methods in an Iron Foundry, by C. 5. Myers, MD ScD, FAS: Price 2d. net. No. 5.—Fatigue and Efficiency in the Iron and Steel Industry, by H. M. Vernon, M.D. Price 3s. net. No. 6.—The Speed of Adaptation of Output to altered Hours of Work, Dy Er. or Vernon, “Nii. Price 1s. net.
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